IEP Chandigarh, July 12 

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday reiterated the firm commitment of the state government to duly compensate the people for every single penny of loss incurred by them on account of heavy and incessant rainfall across the state. In a statement issued here today, the Chief Minister said that he is monitoring the situation every moment by taking regular updates from across the state. He said that a regular tab is being kept through district administrations in the entire state regarding the level of water and the relief measures being carried out in these districts. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is duty bound to help the people in this hour of grave crisis and no stone is being left unturned for this noble cause. The Chief Minister said that succour is being provided even to the last person at the far flung areas of the state. He said that special thrust is being laid to ensure relief in the worst affected areas of the state so that people do not face any sort of problem. Bhagwant Mann said that priority is being given to carry rescue and relief work in the badly affected areas of the state. The Chief Minister said that all the dams in the state are safe and water is flowing below the danger mark. He expressed hope that by Wednesday evening the situation in the state will improve considerably by all means. Bhagwant Mann said that already all the Cabinet Ministers, MLAs and the officers are in their respective areas and reaching out to the needy people in this hour of grave crisis. The Chief Minister said that an elaborate mechanism has been put in place to safeguard the life and property of people from the increasing level of water. He said that Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs) are expediting the relief work in their respective districts so as to provide succor to the masses. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is duty bound to secure the interests of the people in this situation caused due to the heavy downpour of water adding that the Ministers, MLAs and officers are visiting the low lying and flood prone areas to ensure that people are evacuated from these areas to safe positions. 

IEP Chandigarh, July 12    

      Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Bram Shanker Jimpa today presided over a meeting with all Deputy Commissioners and senior officials of various departments and issued directions that no stone should be left unturned to help the flood victims. He said that the Punjab government has no dearth of money to deal with this natural calamity and Rs. 33.50 crore has already been released to all deputy commissioners for relief work.          He said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will soon release another amount of Rs. 71.50 crore to provide all possible help to the flood affected areas. Aprising the Deputy Commissioners about the instructions issued by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Jimpa directed that dry rations and medicines should be delivered to the flood affected people so that no one is deprived of these essential items. He said that safety of life and property of every person should be given priority at this time. He said that if any person lost his/her life during the floods, his family should be given a compensation amount of Rs. 4 lakh immediately.          Addressing the Deputy Commissioners through video conferencing, the Disaster Management Minister said that the dilapidated houses should be identified and people should be taken to safe places so that no one’s life is lost. He said that in this hour of crisis, we have to reach out to everyone who is affected from floods. He said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already announced that it is the priority of the Punjab government to provide all kinds of assistance to the flood-affected areas.          Jimpa encouraged the Deputy Commissioners to save the animals, manage their fodder and ensure the delivery of essential medicines of flood affected areas. During meeting, Jimpa directed the concerned departments to fulfill whatever demands were made by the Deputy Commissioners to deal with the floods. Some districts asked for NDRF/SDRF teams which were accepted on the spot.          In the meeting, Special Chief Secretary Revenue K.A.P. Sinha, Principal Secretary of Water Supply and Sanitation Department Jaspreet Talwar, Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department Vivek Pratap Singh, Principal Secretary of Water Resources Department Krishan Kumar, Secretary of Local Government Department Ajoy Sharma, Commissioner of Jalandhar Division Gurpreet Kaur Sapra, Forest Department Secretary Indu Malhotra, Special Secretary of Revenue Department Dr. Amarpal Singh, Director of Rural Development and Panchayat Department Gurpreet Singh Khaira and Head of Water Supply and Sanitation Department Muhammad Ishfaq were present. Commissioners of different divisons of Punjab and Deputy Commissioners of districts joined the meeting through video conferencing. 

IEP Chandigarh/Patiala, July 12

Punjab Information and Public Relations Minister S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra, on Wednesday, bemoaned that Haryana government has failed to clean the siphon built upon Ghaggar under Hansi-Butana canal on time, which resulted in massive waterlogging in villages of our side of Punjab.While responding to media persons on his visit to various flood affected villages, the Cabinet Minister said, the Haryana government should have cleaned this siphon well in advance, adding that if the siphon had been cleaned in time, this situation could be averted.S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra said that he has asked Deputy Commissioner Patiala Sakshi Sawhney to raise the issue with her counterpart of Kaithal district.He visited the affected villages of Dharmeri, Gheura, Kamaspur, Dhanauri, Nawan Gaon, Bibipur, Ghajislar, Rajla, Droula, Drouli, Bhanra, Bhanri, Main, Sassa Gujran, Sassa Theh, Mangatan, Samspur etc. After listening to the problems of the villagers, he instructed the officials of the district administration to immediately send boats and other necessary relief materials in these villages. He urged the villagers to adhere to the appeal of the district administration to go to safe places, informing that arrangements of stay at Gurdwara Karhali Sahib have been made and more necessary relief materials are being delivered.I am continuously visiting more than 50 villages affected by the rapid flow of water in Samana constituency in this hour of crisis and ensuring the safety of the villagers, said the Cabinet Minister, who was accompanied by Gurdev Singh Tiwana, Advocate Gulzar Singh Virk, Balkar Singh Gajjumajra, Surjit Singh Fauji, Amardeep Singh Sonu Thind and Maninder Singh.

IEP Chandigarh, July 12

In order to increase the income sources of Scheduled Castes (SC) farmers and give them opportunity to adopt dairy farming, Chief Minister S Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government has decided to impart free dairy farming training to SC Candidates.Disclosing this here today, Punjab Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department Minister Mr. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that Punjab Dairy Development Board will impart free dairy training to SC Dairy Farmers, besides providing them a stipend of Rs. 350 per day during the training.During the training, he said that candidates would be trained in purchase & care of milch animals, breed improvement, making products from the milk, seasonal diseases in animals, cattle feed preparation at home, growing green fodder throughout the year etc.Mr Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that the training will be conducted at nine training centers situated at Chatamli (Rupnagar), Bija (Ludhiana), Phagwara (Kapurthala), Sardulgarh (Mansa), Verka (Amritsar), Gill (Moga), Abul Khurana (Sri Muktsar Sahib), Tarn Taran and Sangrur. The training will be imparted in three batches under this scheme. First Batch has been scheduled from July 24 to August 4, 2023 and counseling for the same will be held on July 17. The second batch will be organised from September 25 to October 6, 2023 and counseling will be held on September 18 and the third Batch will be held from November 28 to December 8, 2023 and counseling will be on November 20.Divulging about the eligibility criteria, the Cabinet Minister said that Candidate aged between 18-50 years (male and married female) can apply for the training and they must be 5th passed, besides belonging to rural areas. One day exposure visit and training kit will also be provided to them.He asked the eligible beneficiaries to contact their nearest Office of Deputy Director Dairy Development. For further any enquiry, aspiring candidates can contact Dairy Development Department, Punjab at phone no. 0172-5027285.

IEP Chandigarh, July 9       

   The Department of Social Security, Women, and Child Development is committed to the welfare of destitute and needy women. The Punjab Government provides 100% financial assistance to women suffering from acid attacks.  Acid Victims scheme aims to provide monthly financial assistance to women who have become disabled due to acid attacks.          Revealing this information, Dr. Baljit Kaur, Minister of Social Security, Women, and Child Development, stated that acid attacks are a heinous form of violence against women, deliberately perpetrated by the attacker. This causes permanent or partial damage to the victim’s body or any body part. Apart from the mental and physical pain, acid attacks often lead to various infections and even blindness. Additionally, these attacks also have significant social and economic repercussions on the lives of women.          The minister further stated that under the fully state-funded financial assistance scheme for women suffering from acid attacks, implemented by the Punjab Government, women residing in Punjab with 40% or more disability (according to the disability benchmark) receive Rs. 8,000 per month to support their dependents. The aim is to rehabilitate these women and help them become self-sufficient. The victim must have registered a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) or a complaint.          She mentioned that currently, 22 women affected by acid attacks are benefiting from this scheme in districts including Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana, Ropar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Moga, Jalandhar, and Amritsar.          The cabinet minister explained the scheme being implemented for acid attack victims. She highlighted the case of Ramandeep Kaur from Amritsar district, who is receiving a financial benefit of Rs. 8,000 per month to pursue her dreams.          Dr. Baljit Kaur mentioned that Mahinder Kaur from Bathinda district is undergoing treatment at DMC Ludhiana, while Amanpreet Kaur is receiving treatment at Fortis Hospital Mohali, both with the help of financial assistance provided under this scheme. Mrs. Ramandeep Kaur from Ludhiana district is utilizing the financial assistance from the Punjab government to cover the school fees and daily needs of her two daughters and one son, ensuring a stable livelihood.

IEP Moonak(Sangrur)/Chandigarh, July 9    

      Punjab Water Resources Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Sunday said that the water resources department was fully prepared to deal with any untoward situation due to the increased water level in the reservoirs due to the continuous rain in the hilly areas and Punjab as well. The cabinet minister was here at Moonak to visit the banks of seasonal river Ghaggar at several places and said that the situation was fully under control and there was no need to panic.          The minister was also accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal and SDM Suba Singh along with officials of the department as he visited Moonak-Tohana Bridge in Ghaggar and banks at Makraur Sahib.          Meet Hayer said that following the instructions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, foolproof preparations have been made by the Water Resources Department and apart from him, all the officers/employees of the department have posted in the field to regularly monitor the situation of water level of seasonal rivers, tributaries and canals. A flood control room has already been established at the head office level. Apart from this, flood control rooms have also been established in all districts of the state. All the field functionaries were being updated regularly about the water level and release of water was being informed well advance so that they should alert the district administrations and people.          The Water Resources Minister said that the department has already done flood prevention works before the monsoon season and the department was fully prepared to deal with any emergency. He said that around 5.5 crore ripped have been spent on prevention works only in Sangrur district. He further said that as far as dams were concerned, satisfactory buffer was available till the maximum level of dams. The district civil and police administration was promptly visiting the ground level and taking stock of the entire situation. The field staff of the department like XENs, SDOs and JEs have already been instructed and they are keeping an eye on the sensitive places. The field staff was in full coordination with the district administration.          Meet Hayer also appealed to the people to keep regular contact with the Deputy Commissioner office of their respective districts so that they can be safeguarded in case of any emergency. The staff of the department has been asked to monitor the fields along with night vigil. Directions have already been issued to keep the immediate measures like keeping empty cement bags ready to deal with any eventuality. 

IEP Chandigarh, July 9 

In wake of incessant rain across the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has asked all the Cabinet Ministers, MLAs and the officers to stay in their respective areas and reach out to the needy people in this hour of grave crisis. The Chief Minister, who is personally monitoring the situation in wake of nature’s fury, said that the Cabinet Ministers, MLAs and officers must ensure an elaborate flood protection mechanism is put in place to safeguard the life and property of people. He said that the Cabinet Ministers. MLAs and Officers should go amongst the people in their area and ensure relief to them at the earliest. Bhagwant Mann said that Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs) should expedite the relief work in their respective districts so as to provide succor to the masses. The Chief Minister said that an alert has already been issued in low lying areas especially those around the rivers adding that people should not go out of home until some important work is there. He said that due to continuous rain across the state, a flood like situation has emerged but the state government is keeping a regular tab over the situation. Bhagwant Mann said that all the Ministers and MLAs should visit their respective constituencies especially in low lying and flood prone areas to ensure that help is provided to the needy people. The Chief Minister said that as it is raining heavily across the state, so a flood like situation has arisen at some places. He said that DCs, SSPs, SDMs and field staff must remain vigilant and do the needful on priority to minimize damage due to excessive water. Bhagwant Mann asked the officers to ensure that pump houses of water works at all places are protected by putting sandbags around them to prevent submergence of water works. The Chief Minister said that any sort of callousness in this work is unwarranted and undesirable. He reiterated the firm commitment of his government to provide immediate relief and help to the people in this hour of severe crisis. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is duty bound to secure the interests of the people in this situation caused due to the heavy downpour of water. Meanwhile, swinging into action after directives of the Chief Minister, the Cabinet Ministers and MLAs have tied up with the district administration to give relief to the people. The Ministers and MLAs are visiting the low lying and flood prone areas to ensure that people are evacuated from these areas to safe positions. They have also given directions to the officers to make concerted efforts for minimising the damage caused due to heavy downpour of water. Meanwhile, in all the districts of the state the DCs have set up flood control rooms to help the people in hour of crisis. The numbers have been publicised and officials have been appointed round the clock in these control rooms to serve the people. The officials have been directed to ensure immediate action on any sort of distress call by people in case of emergency.

IEP CHANDIGARH, July 9     

     Continuing the spree of providing jobs to the youth of Punjab as committed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, another batch of 77 civilian candidates of the financial domain is going to join the Punjab Bureau of Investigation (PBI) of Punjab Police from Monday onwards, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday. From a total of 77 Financial Experts, 10 candidates will be joining as Financial Officers, while, 67 candidates (46 Male and 21 Female candidates) are Assistant Financial Officers.          The development came a little over a month after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had handed over appointment letters to 144 civilian candidates of legal experts and forensic experts during a function organised on May 18, 2023. With the joining of this batch the total number of Civilian Support Staff will reach 221.          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that this is the first Police Force in the country to recruit Civilian Support Staff in domains including legal, forensics and finance, which will not only enhance the investigation function through its effective separation from law & order but will also improve the efficacy of investigation and overall policing.          While welcoming the newly recruited batch into the Punjab Police family, he congratulated the youth for becoming an integral part of the Punjab Police. He said that to overcome major challenges faced by society today it is imperative that the Police force is updated as per requirements in the field of investigation, science and technology.          He said that all the candidates have been selected completely on the basis of merit and had done a lot of hard work to get this post. As directed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Punjab Police have adopted a foolproof mechanism for the entire recruitment process so that candidates should not have to face any legal issues after joining, he added.          Director PBI LK Yadav said that all these officers, who are commerce/finance graduates and hold experience of seven years as Financial officers and two years of experience for Assistant Financial Officers, will help to curb the economic/financial related frauds. After the completion of mandatory training these newly recruited officers will be posted at different divisions/districts to support the Investigation Officer(s)/ Special Investigation Teams (SITs) in tracing the financial trail viz a viz bank accounts, balance sheets, account books etc. to locate the proceeds of crime, he added.          Meanwhile, the recruitment of Financial Officers will also help in implementing the process of attachment of property of criminals, especially drug smugglers, gangsters and terrorists. 

IEP CHANDIGARH, July 9      

    With Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has ordered all the officers to remain alert amid the ongoing incessant rains in the region, Punjab Police have made extensive arrangements to deal with any kind of exigency arising out of potential floods, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.          He said that a state control room has been set up for flood mitigation and concerned officers have been asked to take hourly reports from districts to keep them updated about the current situation in their concerned districts.          Pertinently, DGP Gaurav Yadav and Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla have been personally supervising the situation in the state, while, CPs/SSPs have also been directed to remain in the field and personally monitor the situation in their concerned districts at regular intervals.          Divulging more details, Special DGP Arpit Shukla said that teams of the State Disaster Response Force (STRF) are on alert and fully prepared to tackle any kind of crisis, he said, while adding that the teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been deployed in the flood-ravaged districts including SAS Nagar and Fatehgarh Sahib to carry out rescue operations and meet any exigency arising out of floods. Additionally, Army has also been asked to remain on alert, he added.          The Special DGP also urged people of the state not to panic and cooperate with the administration and police. He also appealed to the people residing in low-lying or flood-prone areas that they should move to safe places or relief centres set up by their concerned district administration for their safety.

IEP Chandigarh, July 09    

      Following the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann regarding the immediate assessment of the situation of the flood affected areas of the state in the wake of heavy rains in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, the Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Bram Shankar Jimpa, Power and PWD Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh on Sunday visited various flood affected areas of the state to take stock of the situation and ongoing relief activities.          Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Punjab government said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has directed the ministers, MLAs and officials of the state to be ready to deal with any situation arising due to heavy rain, and the Punjab government has made adequate arrangements in this regard. He said that following these directions the Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Bram Shankar Jimpa along with the senior officials of the respective districts visited the flood affected areas of Hoshiarpur and Adampur. On this occasion, Mr. Jimpa gave necessary directions to the officials and asked them to ensure all possible help to the flood effected people as per the directions issued by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He said that the Revenue Department has already started the process to release funds to deal with the flood like situation.          Divulging further, the spokesperson said that the Power and PWD Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO visited the flood affected villages Malowal and Dharar of Amritsar district. The minister directed the district administration to make arrangements for pumping out rain water accumulated in the fields and residential areas on priority. On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Amritsar Amit Talwar apprised the Minister that the district administration has made all arrangements for any situation arising due to heavy rain. He informed the minister that the people in the areas adjacent to the river Ravi have already been informed about the release of water from the dam and adequate arrangements have been made to carry the people to the safe areas.          Meanwhile, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Patiala Sakshi Sawhney visited the flood-ravaged low-lying areas in Patiala rural and reviewed the situation at Vaddi Nadi and Chotti Nadi. He also called in JCB machines and pumping machines on the spot to get the accumulated water cleared from low-lying areas. On this occasion, Dr Balbir Singh urged the people not to panic as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government has made all the arrangements to deal with any exigency arising out of floods.